Sixers clear NBA Disney World quarantine, Glenn Robinson III happy to be back on the court
The Sixers returned held their first practice on Saturday in the NBA bubble near Orlando, but the team had to first have two negative COVID-19 tests before being able to take the court.
Glenn Robinson III and his 76ers teammates cleared another hurdle Saturday morning and he couldn’t have been more excited.
During the NBA’s restart, nothing can be taken for granted, including returning to the court. So Robinson and his teammates, upon arriving at ESPN’s sports complex near Orlando on Thursday, had to stay quarantined in their hotel rooms.
The players had to have two negative COVID-19 tests before being allowed out and about. They cleared quarantine Saturday morning and then were scheduled to practice at noon.
“I mean, just getting out of the room, you know, I feel like we’ve been in so many quarantines since the beginning, so 36 hours, I mean, I was just happy to get out the room,” Robinson said in a Zoom media call before practice.
“... So, it’s been a weird 36 hours. But, you know, I think that we just got to maintain and keep pushing through.”
Now that the traveling and initial quarantine are completed, the Sixers will be approaching this as a second training camp.
For Robinson, it’s actually his first with the Sixers, since he began the season with the Golden State Warriors. It’s his second stint with the Sixers, but the first one lasted only 10 games after he was cut during the 2014-2015 season by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
» READ MORE: New Sixers signing Ryan Broekhoff didn’t travel to Florida with the team
Even though current coach Brett Brown was the coach back then, Robinson still has some catching up to do.
Robinson, 26, was having a career season with Golden State, averaging 12.9 points, before being dealt to the Sixers along with Alec Burks on Feb. 6.
In 12 games with the Sixers he is averaging 7.4 points in 18.8 minutes.
The 6-foot-6 Robinson, who will be a free agent after the season, is among a number of players vying for wing minutes. With that in mind, he acknowledges that this camp, for him and Burks is especially important so they will have a comfort level when the “seed” games begin.
After three scrimmages, the Sixers will open Aug. 1 against the Indiana Pacers.
“I think that we just got to really focus throughout these practices because we were only here for a couple weeks [before the season was suspended] and we got to relearn the plays relearn, our teammates and [gain] chemistry and kind of get that down.”
» READ MORE: Sixers determined to use NBA restart platform to make a stand against racism | Keith Pompey
He said he is excited to play with Ben Simmons, who missed the final eight games leading up to the season’s suspension with a pinched nerve in his lower back. Simmons has since healed.
“I love playing with a pass-first guy, an unselfish guy,” Robinson said. “Just from my couple of games here, he threw me a couple of lobs I haven’t seen since playing with Steph.”
That was quite a statement, since Robinson was referring to his former Golden State teammate Steph Curry, the two-time MVP and six-time All-Star.
In continuing to talk about the Simmons, Robinson added, “It’s great to be able to see a guy that is looking for his teammates, is able to pass, and runs the floor like that. That’s my game to get out and run, play fun basketball and use my athleticism.”
So getting attuned to his teammates will be a main priority, but just being on the court and out of his hotel room on Saturday felt like a great first step.